Hedge trimmer



Aug. 8, 1933.

wt R. GREEN HEDG-E TRIMMER Filed Sept. 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet lAttorney Aug. 8, 1933. wl R. GREEN HEDGE TRIMMER Filed Sept. 26, 1930 2sheets-sheet 2 W M/ Inventor Zan/Maag Attorney Patented Aug. 8,l 11933UmransrArEs AHEDGrE TRIMBIER Wyman R. Green, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application September 26, 1930 Serial No. 484,593

5 claims. (c1. 30411) My invention relates to improvementsin hedgetrimmers and it more especially consists of the features pointed out inthe claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple self-contained hedgetrimmer; that has a stationary bar Awith a series of projecting fingers;that has a sliding bar with a series of cutting sections mounted on it;that provides operating handles for producing movement between the bars;and that, in addition, provides means for hold- Y ing the bars inoperative relation to each other by means of a take-up in an adjustablemanner.

With these and other ends in view, I illustrate on the accompanyingdrawings such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broadunderlying features without limiting myself to the specic details shownthereon and described herein.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hedge trimmer showing the handlesspread apart and separately pivoted. v

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of adjacent bars and the adjustabletension and retaining device. Fig. 3 is a detached elevation of theactuating arm.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a reciprocating rigid handle type oftrimmer.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a trimmer having crossed handles pivoted toeach other.`

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end elevation of another form of supports. y Fig.7 is an enlarged end elevation showing a modied form of supports andoperating handles etc.

Fig. 8V is another form of supports,

Fig. 9 is a detached plan view of two forms of ngers.

Fig. 10 is a modication of Fig. 8.

-In producing my trimmer I may use whatever alternative orequivalent'details of construction which the eXigencies Yof varyingconditions may demand without departing from the broad spirit of theinvention. p Y

In Figures 1, 4 and .5 bars 1 are shown which have projecting guards orlingers 2 and sliding bars 15 on which triangular cutting sections 16are secured. These bars are positioned in engagement with each other,the bar 15 sliding against the bar 1. They are held against displacementby a projection 17 of the bar 1 (Fig. 2) which forms aguide for the barl5. In addition, a depending tongue 18 on the projection 17, by means oia screw or bolt i9, serves to placeY any desired degree of tension onthe bar 15 and sections 16 so as to keep them. in close cutting relationto the guards 2. These features of construction are quite independent ofvarious means for producing displacement between the iingers 2 and thesections 16. v

Movement may be imparted to the trimmer in a number of differentinterrelated ways, among Figures l, 4 and 5. Any desired means for pro-vducing movement between the cooperating cutting parts, while these areheld against separation and under a controllable tension come within thebroad scope of the invention. whether the means-handles of any `desiredtypebe rigidly or pivotally connected to the respective parts. v Whenoperating handles are separately pivoted to the trimmer unit, andnotdirectly to each other (Fig. 1), they contrast with handles that crosseach other land which are pivoted together and to the trimmer unit (Fig.5), and handles that are rigidly connected to the unit (Fig. 4)

The structure exemplified in Fig. 1 comprises a bar l having ngers 2projecting from its front edge. Along the rear edge ears 3 are formed.Between these ears a projection 4 of the bar 1 is positioned.l This maybe formed integral with the bar, or as a separate piece secured byriveting, electric welding or otherwise. The projection 4, near the bar1 has two side extensions which terminate in upstanding stops 5 and theactuating arm 8 is pivoted to the projection 4 at 9. This arm 8 isconnected at 13 by means of a link 12 to the sliding bar 15, at 14. v vAs the arm 8 is rocked on its ypivot 9 the cutting sections 16 are movedto and fro across the ilngers `2. This movement is accomplished by meansof two handles 6 and '7. Handles 6 and '7 arepivoted at 21, to the ears3. Links 11 are pivoted, at 10 to the arm'8, one above and one belowthepivot or fulcrum 9 and to the handles atA points approximately oppositethe pivotal point 9. In order that the mechanism shall operate asquietly as possible, a rubber block 20 is secured to the under side ofthe arm 8 so as to engage the stops 5, at the extreme o each movement.In case a pair of handles 27 attached to arms 22 and 23 are used, thearms are pivoted to each .other at 26 Where they cross each other.

The arm 23 is pivoted to the under side of thebar 1 at 24'and the arm 22is similarly pivoted to the bar 15 at 25. A simplified form of trimmeris exemplified in Fig. 4. In thisj the bar 1 has a rigid handle 28, andthe bar 15 has a rigid handle 29 attached to it in any desired manner.

,The operation of my Ydevice is very simple. As the handles of any oneof the types instanced are moved toward or away from each other theAcutting sections ltraverse across the open space between the fingers 2andany twigs or hedge stems which project lbetween the iingers will becut oif.r The type instanced in Fig. 4 may be specially adaptable toyoung and tender hedge growths while the other types are equally:adapted to heavy growths. The cutting edges of the sections 16 may beserrated if desired. It is un- It is immaterial which I have instancedthe examples shown in g derstood that I do not limit myself to anyspecific materials, as to lightness etc., so long as the parts aresufliciently strong to withstand the stresses to which they aresubjected and the cutting edges and the adjacent nger faces retain theirhardness for a reasonable time.

I illustrate in Figs. 6-10 inclusive certain mod ications which may beused, or any equivalents thereof, as desired. Instead of the flat bars 1and 15, instanced in Figs. 1-3 inclusive I may use angle irons 30 forngers 3l and angle irons 32 for the sections 16. These may be arrangedas shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or as exemplified in Figs. 8 and 10, In Figs.6 and 7 the angles 30 and 32 are placed back to back. The lingers 3i areriveted on the underside oi the angle 30 or they may be spot welded orsecured in any other manner. In Fig. 8 the angles are nested againsteach other. The ngers- 37 have an off-set 38,

which engages the edge and underside oi the angle 3G. In Fig. 10 fingers31 are placed on top of the horizontal portion of the angle 30 and thesections above the fingers.

When the parts are arranged as exemplified in Figs. 6, 7 and 8-10 thehandles 6 and 7 have their forward ends bent downward and forward at 34to serve instead of the ears 3 shown on Fig. 1. At this point they arepivoted to the angle support 30, at 2l, The central support 4 is bentdown at its outer end at 33 where it may be riveted or otherwise securedto the angle bar 30. The operating arm 8 is bent down and outward at itsfree end, at 35, similar to the bend 34 of the handles 6 and 7, toreceive thelink 12 in pivotal relation at 13.

When angle bars 30 areused the tension niembers 17 are riveted orotherwise attached to the vertical portionroi the angles. The handles22, 23, 28 and 29 may be attached to the bars 33 and 32 in any desiredmanner.v It is immaterial that the rubber buffer 20 be attached to thearm 8 on its under or upper face, or made a part or the stops 5. Thelingers 2, 31 and 37 may have a T end 36 of such length asto space thefingers the proper distance apart on the supports l or 30. Under certaincircumstances of manufacture the iingers may be made integral with asupport in any desired manner. The number of fingers or guards andassociated cutting sections may be varied.

In the use of off-sets 38 the lingers' 37 are aligned with thehorizontal portion of the angle 30 and if they are assembled asinstanced in Fig. 10 the fingers 31, by reason of the T ends 35 willYalign themselves against the vertical poru tion of the angle 30. At anyevent the lower edge of 38 and the forward edge of 30 will be beveled topermit the trimmed hedge branches to easily slide past. k y

When trimming hedges a sticky juice exudes from the cut-off ends of thetwigs which a tendency to clog the cutting elements if the engagingsurfaces of `the ngers and sections is large. This may be advantageouslyovercome by recessingthe adjacent faces at 33 as to leave only narrowsurfaces l0 which work in close contact with each other, thus redi 'igi'riction of the sliding parts. To still fui reduce friction and securean easily workable trimmer I may relieve the adjacent surfaces ofsliding parts as instanced in Figures 6, 7', 8 and l() whereon a narrowbearing face 42 is formed. This may be formed on either one of thesupports. Recesses 4l reduce the sliding contacts to the narrow margins42.

What I claim is:

l. In hedge trimmers, an indented edge support, a serrated edge cuttingmember, a pair of handles pivoted to the support, a center arm pivotedto a projection of the support and projecting on opposite sides of thepivot, a link connecting the free'end of the arm to the cutting member,means for holdinT the support and cutting member in slidable relation toeach other, and separate links from each handle to the center arm onopposite sides of its pivot.

2. In hedge trimmers, a pair of angle bars slidable against each other,a plurality of cutting fingers on one bar, a plurality of cutting bladeson the other bar, means for holding the blades in operative engagementwith the lingers, a pair of handles separately pivoted on the angle barto which the iingers are attached7 a projection from said angle barbetween the handles in a rearward direction, an arm pivoted on saidprojection, and a link from the arm attached on opposite sides oi itspivot said links being pivoted to the handles.

3. In hedge trimmers, a slidable angle bar, a plurality of recessedcutting blades .projecting therefrom, a separate stationary angle bar, aplurality of recessed cutting ngers projecting therefrom, means foroperatively .holding the fingers and blades in close relation to eachother, a support projecting from the finger bar, anroperating lever orarm pivoted to the support, a connection from the arm to the blade bar,cushioning means adjacent the extremes of movement of the knife baractuating arm, and manual means for moving the arm to and iro betweenthe cushioning means comprising a pair of handles pivoted to thestationary bar and separately connected to the arm. Y

fl. In hedge trimmers, a lower stationary angle bar support having aplurality of cutting elements along one edge, a similar upper movableangle bar having a plurality of cutting elements along its one edgeadjacent the other cutting elements, means dependent on the verticallegs on each angle to maintain the angles and the cutting elements inoperative relation to each other, actuating handles directly pivoted tothe nonmovable support, interconnecting means between the handles .andthe upper or slidable angle bar adapted to move the cutting elements ofsuch bar across the stationary cutting elements of the supporting barwith equal movement of the handles whereby the trimmer will always cut adefinite width.

5. In hedge trimmers, a movable angle bar support, a plurality ofcutting fingers secured thereon, a non-movable angle bar support onwhich the movable bar slides, a plurality of cutting elements secured onthe non-movable support adjacent the cuttingngers, actuating meanscomprising separate handles pivoted on the non-movable bar, a lever armpivoted toa projection of said bar and adapted to equalize the movementof the handles, and separate link from each handle to the'leverA armwhereby lateral moverl ment isimparted to the movablebar while at thesaine time preventing lateral motion Vof `the immovable bar.

WYMAN. R. GREEN.

